On this episode of How We Got Here, Steph and Rachel chat with THE Aja Barber—writer, stylist, consultant, activist—whose work deals with the intersection of sustainability, fashion, colonialism, the textile industry, feminism, and all the ways the not-great systems we live with affect our buying habits. WHEW! Aja tells us all about how problematic the fashion industry is, how she found herself with a job that didn’t even exist just 10 years ago, and how dads are the kings of slow fashion (but also gender norms and social pressures UGH!). Aja teaches us how everyone can practice sustainable buying practices, including those of us who are on a tight budget (thrifting, eBay, deciding if you really need a sequined sweater from ASOS that you’ll only wear once to a holiday-work thing?) or plus size (hello, @selltradeplus and Conscious Clothing!)

You can support Aja on Patreon here.

Follow her on Instagram (@ajabarber, informative and delightful) and Twitter (@AjaSaysHello, informative and spicy).

And, you can buy her (informative and fantastic) book Consumed at any of these links.